James Bright 
April 20, 2022
BUXTON, ME & Leesburg, FL- James “Jim” Bright passed away on April 20, 2022, at the age of 74, in his beloved home of Maine. Jim passed away unexpectedly and showed courage in facing the hardest of life challenges to the very end.
Jim Bright was a good man; ask anyone who knew him. He was a bright spark in this world. So generous with his time and friendship. He touched the lives of so many and will be deeply missed.
As a child, Jim loved to play baseball. At age 11, the Alexandria Virginia Gazette highlighted Jim’s .457 batting average. Suppose you don’t know the meaning of this mark. In that case, a quick Google search will show that .300 or higher is considered excellent, and an average higher than .400 is a nearly unachievable goal. His love for the sport was a constant throughout his life. Jim shared the love of the game with each of his three children and many other young players. Jim pitched 21 innings at his last game a short month ago with the Hawthorne Softball League.
Before moving to Maine, Jim grew up in Alexandria, Virginia. Jim attended Gorham High School, it is there that he met the love of his life, Pat Spring. Jim and Pat celebrated their 52nd wedding anniversary this past December. Together, they had three children: Jennifer, Rebecca, and Timothy, each proudly still holding the Bright surname. Jim dearly loved his grandchildren, Sarah, Dominic, and Chloe.
Jim proudly served his country as a sergeant in the United States Army from 1967 to 1969. Jim discovered his lifelong love of dogs in the Vietnam War, where he was a military police dog handler.
Jim was a hardworking man. For over 30 years, he supported his family by working as a Lead Carpenter at Maine Medical Center. Jim poured his heart into his work while always offering a friendly smile and hello to his co-workers and staff. Jim was admired by many. Jim was always quick to lend his woodworking and carpentry skills outside of his workspace, lending a helping hand to friends and family home projects.
Jim lived a beautiful and dignified life. The simplest pleasures in life brought great joy to Jim, including relaxing at home in Bridgton, Maine, or Leesburg, Florida. Jim was an avid boat captain and was happiest when boating on Long Lake, Maine. He loved to take family and friends out, provided the water wasn’t rough, and there wasn’t too much boat traffic, of course.
Jim had a fantastic wit, a sense of humor, and a beautiful laugh and smile. He made his whole family laugh with all his silly sayings, as you may well know “it’s always something.”
Jim was passionate about his Christian faith. He was a loyal member of the Hilltop Baptist Church in Cornish, Maine, and the First Baptist Church of Leesburg. He volunteered his time with the Hollis Center Church Youth Group. In addition, Jim was a color guard and a member of the VFW Hawthorne, Florida.
Jim was loved deeply, and his family takes comfort in knowing that he is at peace surrounded by light.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Jim Bright Memorial Scholarship Fund to support inspiring youth baseball players. Visit www.gofund.me/3861d8de
A funeral service to Celebrate Jim’s life will be held on Monday April 25 at 1 PM at the Hilltop Baptist Church, 17 School St., Cornish with a reception to follow. For those that can’t join the ceremony in person please visit the Hilltop Baptist Church Facebook page for a live stream.
Burial will US Army Honors will be held privately at the Southern Maine Veterans Cemetery.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Chad E. Poitras Cremation and Funeral Service, Buxton, www.mainefuneral.com
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